Following the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) request, a Zagreb County Court investigation judge ordered pre-trial detention for five suspects tied to the corruption case involving former Health Minister Vili Beros.

Beros was detained earlier Saturday at the request of the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK).

The spokesperson for the court, Kresimir Devcic, confirmed to Hina that EPPO requested detention for Hrvoje Petrac and his sons Novica and Nikola, who remain at large. Consequently, only Tomo Pavic, a regional head of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund in Krapina, and Goran Roic, director of the Children’s Hospital in Klaiceva, were taken to Remetinec prison from this group.

The suspects were detained due to risks of witness tampering and repeat offences, with an additional flight risk applied to the Petrac family members given their unavailability to Croatian authorities.

Novica Petrac’s attorney, Fran Olujic, told Hina that his client would return to Croatia and cooperate with authorities by Monday at the latest.

EPPO and USKOK at odds over jurisdiction

After USKOK announced it had detained Beros, Kresimir Rotim (head of the Neurology Clinic at KBC Sisters of Charity Hospital), and entrepreneur Sasa Pozder on corruption charges, EPPO revealed its parallel investigation against Beros and seven others.

Tomislav Kamber from EPPO described the dual investigations as “bizarre,” stating, “We are missing crucial elements of the case and expect USKOK to cede jurisdiction.”

Attorneys for the accused echoed this sentiment.

On Friday, DORH requested that EPPO promptly provide its complete case file related to Beros, while EPPO asked DORH to transfer their documentation to European prosecutors. State Attorney General Ivan Turudic is expected to decide shortly whether USKOK or EPPO holds jurisdiction in the case.

Divergent accusations: Bribery vs. influence peddling

EPPO accuses Beros of accepting bribes, while USKOK alleges influence peddling. Turudic stated that the former minister did not receive bribes directly but facilitated transactions benefiting another party.

EPPO contends that Beros approved the procurement of surgical microscopes at inflated prices in exchange for bribes, ensuring funding for public procurement. Hospital administrators allegedly drafted tender specifications tailored to products distributed by the implicated company, allowing Pozder’s firm to monopolize contracts.

Microscopes were purchased at a 619,582-euro markup, causing losses to the Croatian state budget. To conceal profits, the criminal group issued falsified invoices, creating the illusion of legitimate transactions.

Admission of guilt

While USKOK’s investigation resulted in Rotim’s release pending trial, media reports suggest he confessed to involvement in manipulating contracts, prompting prosecutors not to request detention for him.

USKOK accuses Beros of leveraging his position as health minister to pressure hospital directors into meeting with Pozder and securing contracts for his company. Allegedly, Pozder supplied Rotim’s clinic with a robotic microscope free of charge in return for rigging procurement processes.

Pozder is further accused of attempting to bribe Julije Mestrovic, director of KBC Split, offering 100,000 euros in November 2023 to secure future contracts. Mestrovic reportedly rejected the bribe immediately.

According to USKOK, the trio manipulated public tenders to secure Pozder’s company contracts totaling 1.4 million euros. The firm gained an illicit profit of at least 494,518 euros by inflating the prices of robotic microscopes.